Rabbi caught vilifying victims of child abuse is appointed principal of Jewish school accused of helping its former female head teacher flee to Israel to escape sex charges against students
- Meir Shlomo Kluwgant resigned as Australia's most senior rabbi in 2015
- Called the father of an abuse victim a 'lunatic' who 'neglected his own children'
- Controversial rabbi now appointed principal of Melbourne's Adass Israel School
- Letter from school to staff said he was chosen with 'full support' of school board
- It also claims he was the most suitable candidate after 'global recruitment'
- School accused of helping a former principal flee to Israel amid sex abuse claims
A
disgraced rabbi who admitted to criticising victims of sexual abuse has
been appointed principal of a school which allegedly covered up sex
crimes.
Meir Shlomo Kluwgant resigned
as Australia's most senior rabbi in 2015 after admitting to calling the
father of a child abuse victim a 'lunatic' who 'neglected his own
children'.
Kluwgant will now head Melbourne's Adass
Israel School, which has been previously accused of helping a former
principal flee to Israel amid allegations she sexually assaulted
students, a letter allegedly distributed to staff and published online
shows.
Melbourne rabbi Meir Shlomo
Kluwgant, who admitted to criticising victims of sexual abuse, has been
appointed principal of a school which allegedly covered up sex crimes
Malka Leifer allegedly abused at least eight girls while she was principal of the Elsternwick school between 2003 and 2008
'We
are pleased to advise that we have appointed Rabbi Meir Shlomo Kluwgant
to assume Dr Herszberg's role. They will be working together
collaboratively for the remainder of the year, to ensure a smooth
transition,' the letter reads.
It
tells staff the controversial Rabbi was chosen after a 'global
recruitment process', and with 'the full support of the Board and
Executive'.
Former
principal Malka Leifer allegedly abused at least eight girls while she
was principal of the Elsternwick school between 2003 and 2008.
When
the allegations came to light, Leifer fled Australia with her family in
the middle of the night, allegedly with the help of school officials.
She
remains in Israel and has refused to return to Victoria were she
would face prosecution for 74 sexual abuse offences against former
students.
In
2015, former student Dassi Erlich, now 30, brought a civil case against
the school – which was ordered to pay her $1,024,428 in damages.
On
Sunday, Ms Erlich penned an emotional open letter urging Adass
Israel to reconsider the appointment of the controversial rabbi.
'A
letter I never thought I would have to write,' Ms Erlich began the
letter, addressed to the members of the Adass school board.
Pictured: The letter allegedly distributed to staff regarding the appointment of Rabbi Kluwgant
Meir Shlomo Kluwgant, who was once Australia's most senior rabbi, is pictured with former Prime Minister Tony Abott
On Sunday, Ms Erlich penned an
emotional open letter urging Adass Israel to reconsider the appointment
of the controversial rabbi
'I
implore you, please do not make the mistake of hiring Rabbi Kluwgant.
When you hire a principal it is not merely an administrative matter, it
is a statement of your moral code as a community.
'I was hoping my case encouraged change in your culture of silence. This new appointment tells me nothing has changed.
'Is
it your intention to make it that much harder for the already terrified
victims to come forward, with this additional hurdle to overcome?'
Once
the president of the Organisation of Rabbis of Australasia, Kluwgant
resigned just days after appearing in the witness box at the royal
commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse.
Daily Mail Australia have contacted Adass Israel School and Rabbi Kluwgant for comment.
Kluwgant will now head
Melbourne's Adass Israel School, which is accused of helping a former
principal flee to Israel amid allegations she sexually assaulted
students